What is Alzheimer’s Disease?

Alzheimer’s disease or dementia for each person is different. Symptoms are common and people usually move through predictable stages. Symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease include loss of memory, trouble finding words, general disorientation, difficulty making judgments, problems with performing familiar tasks, losing or misplacing items, difficulty writing or speaking as well as changes in behavior and personality. There is no cure yet. The Alzheimer’s disease is not a normal part of aging.

Did you know?

More than 44 million people worldwide have Alzheimer’s disease – this number will rise to 75.6 million by 2030 and 135.5 million by 2050.

“Every 5 seconds a new case of dementia occurs and approximately 750 000 people in South Africa have Alzheimer disease. Research yet have to find a cure for Alzheimer’s disease.”

Alzheimer’s disease is a slowly progressive disease of the brain that is characterized by symptoms like impairment of memory and eventually by disturbances in reasoning, planning, language, and perception.

The diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease should be based on a comprehensive examination that rules out other causes of dementia.

(Dementia – is a syndrome that is characterized by impairment in memory, inability to organize thoughts, inability to reason, inability to use language and lack of visual perception).